Two Saudi Arabian clubs ready to pay €25 million to sign Barcelona full-back target

The signing of a new left-winger and a pivot midfielder are seen as priorities at Barcelona this summer, but the club are also working on closing a deal for a right-back. Joao Cancelo, who spent the last season on loan, has returned to his parent club Manchester City, where he has no future. The Blaugrana are eager to bring him back to the club, but only on a loan deal, whereas Man City are eager to sell him off permanently. And, as it happens, clubs in Saudi Arabia, two in particular, are rivalling Barcelona in pursuit of the Portuguese international. Indeed, according to SPORT, Al-Ahli and Al-Ettifaq are the two Saudi Arabian teams that are intent on signing Joao Cancelo this summer. The two clubs from the Middle East would be willing to pay the €25 million fee that Manchester City are demanding to sell him. Cancelo already had strong interest from Saudi Arabia last year and had lucrative contract proposals but opted to sign for Barcelona. And, as it stands, it appears that the 30-year-old is ready to do it again. City do not wish to keep the player and want to sell him, ideally before Pep Guardiola & co. fly for the pre-season tour. As such they will have to make a decision soon. Cancelo has already made it clear to Manchester City that he does not intend to listen to offers other than from Barça and if he maintains his stance he will end up going out on loan. Recent reports have suggested that Cancelo has been offered to clubs in Italy by his agent, Jorge Mendes. But the Portuguese seems determined to return to Barcelona. And if he holds firm, Manchester City could give in again like last year.

Juventus to take on Spanish giants in race to sign La Liga youngster

Juventus has been interested in young talents in recent seasons, and this focus is expected to continue in the next campaign. The Bianconeri have a new manager, Thiago Motta, but he is expected to maintain the approach of trusting youngsters to perform well in the first team. The men in black and white have now discovered a gem in Spain. A report on Tuttomercatoweb claims they are interested in Celta Vigo youngster Fer Lopez. The 20-year-old midfielder primarily plays for their B team, but Juve has been following him for some time and believes he is very talented. However, they are not the only top club interested in signing him. According to the same report, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also keen on Lopez. Both Spanish giants have the pulling power to keep him in Spain, but he might be excited about moving to another European country. This could give Juve an important advantage in the race for his signature against Spain’s biggest clubs. Juve FC Says Fer Lopez is still very much at the start of his career and he probably will be sent to our Next Gen team if he joins us.

FC Barcelona Rejects $270 Million Bid For Lamine Yamal, Reports EFE

FC Barcelona rejected what would have been a world transfer record-breaking $270 million (€250 million) fee for its wonderboy winger Lamine Yamal before the ongoing European Championship according to Spanish news agency the EFE, which cited anonymous sources at the Catalan club. Lamine is currently the talk of the continent after his sensational strike for Spain against France in the mentioned competition's semi-finals on Tuesday. Les Bleus went ahead in the eighth minute through a Kylian Mbappe-assisted Kolo Muani header, but then succumbed to a 21th minute equalizer from MVP Lamine before Dani Olmo gave Spain a 2-1 lead it managed to hold onto until full time. The 16-year-old is tied down to a FC Barcelona contract which has a $1.082 billion (€1 billion) release clause attached to its terms, with the Blaugrana having learned its lesson from what went down with Neymar in 2017. Barca thought the Brazilian was as safe as houses at the time as any interested club would need to pay €222 million ($240 million) to free him from his deal at Camp Nou. It underestimated Paris Saint-Germain, however, which put up the cash and smashed the world transfer record to steal Neymar in turn changing the market forever. Fast forward to 2024, and the Qatar-backed Ligue 1 giant has shown it is prepared to do the same to land Lamine, who it sees as the perfect replacement for Real Madrid-bound Mbappe. Barca president Joan Laporta confirmed a report from MARCA on his podcast back in March by revealing that his club had turned down a mammoth $216 million (€200 million) proposal for the teenager who has been on Barca's books since seven years of age.

Premier League clubs consider activating Barcelona target’s £50 million release clause

While Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams grab most of the limelight in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain side, Dani Olmo has stepped up his game and established his presence in recent days. With three goals and two assists for La Roja in the ongoing tournament, the La Masia graduate has been in fine form. Given a starting spot after Pedri’s injury, he once again left his mark last night with the match-winning goal vs France. Olmo’s form and consistency have come to the attention of several of Europe’s elite and rapid developments are expected in the coming days considering his release clause situation. As revealed by the Mirror, the RB Leipzig star’s release clause expires next Monday, the day after the Euros conclude. Clubs from both the Premier League and La Liga are attentive and are looking to pull the trigger before the deadline. After all, his current release clause stands at just £50 million but Leipzig will push to recoup close to £60-70 million once the clause expires. Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked with the player in recent weeks. Barcelona have had their eyes on the former academy graduate for a long time now, especially given his understanding of the team’s system and dynamics. The player’s form and the attention that has followed, however, make the transfer difficult for the Catalans especially given that competitors will likely act before Monday. While Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams grab most of the limelight in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain side, Dani Olmo has stepped up his game and established his presence in recent days. With three goals and two assists for La Roja in the ongoing tournament, the La Masia graduate has been in fine form. Given a starting spot after Pedri’s injury, he once again left his mark last night with the match-winning goal vs France. Olmo’s form and consistency have come to the attention of several of Europe’s elite and rapid developments are expected in the coming days considering his release clause situation. Days to go As revealed by the Mirror, the RB Leipzig star’s release clause expires next Monday, the day after the Euros conclude. Clubs from both the Premier League and La Liga are attentive and are looking to pull the trigger before the deadline. After all, his current release clause stands at just £50 million but Leipzig will push to recoup close to £60-70 million once the clause expires. Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked with the player in recent weeks. Barcelona have had their eyes on the former academy graduate for a long time now, especially given his understanding of the team’s system and dynamics. Olmo’s release clause expires on Monday. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) The player’s form and the attention that has followed, however, make the transfer difficult for the Catalans especially given that competitors will likely act before Monday. Olmo open to a return It is clear that the obstacle between Olmo and Barcelona is only the financial aspect, for the Catalans cannot afford such a sum at this point in time. This comes as a big blow not only for the team but also for the Leipzig star who spoke earlier this month that he was open to returning home. “Returning to Barça is an option that can occur. We will see after the end of Euros,” he said. Barcelona are currently focused on signing Nico Williams and have him as their primary target for the summer. With funds reserved for the Basque star, paying Olmo’s clause would not be feasible regardless.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

FC Barcelona Reaches Agreement In Principle With Top Transfer Target, Reports SPORT

FC Barcelona has reached an agreement in principle with its top transfer target according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources. The Catalans were linked to Nico Williams even before his breakout international tournament at the Euros this summer. On Tuesday, the forward was again key as Spain beat France 2-1 in regular time to book its place in the final on Sunday against either England or the Netherlands. Barca wonderkid Lamine Yamal stole the headlines for his sensational curling shot into Les Bleus' top corner to equalize, which helped him get the semifinal's MVP award. All throughout the competition, however, Nico and Lamine have formed the perfect partnership terrorising the defences of holders Italy, hosts Germany and now 2016 finalists France on the left and right wing respectively. The duo is something that Barca would like to replicate at club level. Last season, right winger Raphinha finished on the left flank under former head coach Xavi Hernandez. Lamine clearly won the positional rivalry against the Brazilian on the right, and a failure to nail down the opposite vacant spot by the likes of loanee Joao Felix and Ferran Torres meant that Raphinha switched lanes. Moving forward towards 2024/2025, which will be overseen from a tactical sense by former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick, Nico is Barca's top transfer target. And now, according to SPORT, the club headed by President Joan Laporta has taken a major step in already sealing an agreement with Nico's camp. This was achieved through meeting his agent Felix Tainta last week, and the hard work now comes in trying to raise the funds to trigger the 21-year-old's release clause. Thankfully for Barca, that is nothing like the $1.08 billion (€1 billion) fee it would take to automatically release Lamine from his contract.

'No contact' between Milan and Real Madrid over Guler loan move

Reports earlier today suggested that AC Milan had been in talks with Real Madrid over Arda Guler, eyeing another Brahim Diaz-esque operation. However, as stated by Daniele Longo, there has been no contact between the two clubs. Arda Guler was a key player for Turkey during the Euros and Milan have been keeping an eye on him for a long time. He was first mentioned as a target in late 2022 and there have been several attempts since then. As such, when Mediaset (via MilanNews) spoke of contact between Milan and Real Madrid over a potential loan deal for the Turkish wonderkid, it didn’t exactly come as a surprise. As added by Daniele Longo, though, there has been no contact between the two clubs. Real Madrid believe in the attacking midfielder a lot, especially after his performances at the Euros, and will give him more chances next season. A move to Milan, therefore, is not on the cards as the Rossoneri are focused on more realistic targets. Alvaro Morata appears to be just one step away from the club, just like Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana, so the fans might not have to wait too long for the first signing.

Manchester United agree €50 million deal for ‘not normal Real Madrid target but face difficulties in completing the transfer

Manchester United have some serious business to do this summer if they are to do any better than last season in the Premier League having finished eighth in the table. A central defender is the need of the hour at Old Trafford after Raphael Varane’s departure and the club’s delay so far in offering Jonny Evans a renewed contract. Leny Yoro has been United’s target for a few months now and Sky Sports has reported that they have finally struck an agreement with Lille for a transfer for the teenager amounting to €50 million. Yoro, however, does not seem interested in joining the Red Devils as he harbours hopes about joining Real Madrid though their first offer for the player has fallen short of Lille’s demand. Lille face a delicate situation as Yoro is in the final year of his contract and can walk away as a free agent next year, a move that he has not ruled out to fulfil his desire to join Real Madrid. Manchester United will have to work hard to convince the Frenchman to join them, though it has seemed that the player’s mind has been made up for a considerably long time. The Red Devils cannot afford to waste time on pursuing just one player, especially when he has a clear preference towards joining another club and is prepared to wait until 2025 to do so. At the same time, one cannot fault the board’s effort as such is Real Madrid’s pull that their targets are rejecting advances from some of the world’s biggest clubs. United remain engaged in conversations for Jarrad Branthwaite, though it remains to be seen if they will match Everton’s incredibly high asking price of £70 million for the Englishman.

Arsenal are scared their £27m player will leave soon after claims Real Madrid want to sign him

The Gunners are now among the best teams in Europe. They finished second in the Premier League in two consecutive seasons and even made it into the quarter-final of the Champions League in the 2023/24 campaign. Arsenal fans are hoping to see their club go one step further next season, and Mikel Arteta definitely has the squad to achieve something incredible. However, when you have such a good side, interest from the biggest clubs in the world is only natural, and Real Madrid are said to be plotting a move to sign one Arsenal player in 2024. William Saliba is one of Arsenal’s most important players. The Frenchman has played a huge part in helping the Gunners challenge for the title in each of the last two seasons, and he has become a key player for France as well. Now, every club in the world knows just how good the Arsenal defender is. Reports claimed recently that Spanish and European champions Real Madrid want to sign Saliba in the summer of 2025. Carlo Ancelotti is said to be a big fan of him. That is the last thing Arsenal would want to hear as the Galacticos almost always end up getting the players they want to sign. GiveMeSport has shared some more details about the situation now. The report claims that Real Madrid ‘seriously considered’ making a move to sign Saliba in this window, but they will instead reignite their interest in 2025. That is said to have concerned Arsenal, with the outlet revealing that there are now fears within the Emirates Stadium that ‘Saliba is entering the final stages of his time’ at the club. Saliba’s current contract at Arsenal expires in the summer of 2027. Many people believe Saliba is the best centre-back in the world right now. The Frenchman has all the qualities you would want from a central defender, and the fact that he is still only 23 means he still has a decade left at the highest level. Arsenal will be desperate to keep hold of Saliba, but if Real Madrid come calling in the summer of 2025, when he enters the final two years of his contract, his head could be turned. That would complicate things for the Gunners, but the one thing that is certain if they have to sell him is that they will make a huge profit on the £27 million they paid for him in 2019 (Goal). According to CIES Football Observatory, Saliba is the most valuable central defender in the world, worth a whopping €105.2 million (just under £89m). However, in a market where the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo cost more, we’re convinced Arsenal will demand a significantly higher fee for Saliba than his valuation mentioned above.

PARTNER STATS

Our Partner's soccer matches & statistics

DateMatchOddsTipResult
25th AprPuszcza Niepolomice - Pogon Szczecin3.852 & Over3.54-5 (1-2)
25th AprInhulets - Oleksandria3.022 & Under2.50-1 (0-1)
25th AprZlate Moravce - Slovan Bratislava B2.71 & BTTS3-1 (2-0)
25th AprSt Polten - Horn2.47Over3.54-1 (4-0)
25th AprYunnan Yukun - Shanghai Port1.49Over2.52-3 (0-1)
25th AprNeusiedl - Mauerwerk1.3915-1 (3-0)
25th AprCambuur - Vitesse Arnhem1.3712-1 (2-1)
25th AprFeyenoord - PEC Zwolle1.371 & Over1.54-0 (3-0)
25th AprMladost Zdralovi - NK Dugo Selo1.3614-0 (1-0)
24th AprUllensaker/Kisa - Aalesund2.882 & BTTS2-3 (2-3)
24th AprPatro - Beveren2.85Over3.53-2 (2-1)
24th AprFollo - Moss2.37Over3.52-3 (1-1)
24th AprDutch Lions - Steve Biko1.72HT X0-0 (0-0)
24th AprBombada - Real de Banjul1.65HT X0-1 (0-0)
24th AprAlta IF - Skeid1.55Over2.53-0 (1-0)
24th AprSandviken - Sogndal1.54Over2.50-4 (0-0)
24th AprAtletico Madrid - Rayo Vallecano1.5213-0 (2-0)
23rd AprSJK - AC Oulu3.171 & BTTS3-1 (1-1)
23rd AprNovi Pazar - Vojvodina3.022 & Under2.50-1 (0-1)
23rd AprGroningen - Heracles2.78Over3.54-1 (2-1)
23rd AprBengaluru - Inter Karshi2HT X1-1 (0-0)
23rd AprSloga Doboj - Zrinjski Mostar1.720-4 (0-2)
23rd AprOFK Vrsac - Vozdovac1.48Under2.50-1 (0-0)
23rd AprFC Salzburg - Wolfsberger1.45DrawNoBet 11-1 (0-1)
23rd AprUnion Titus Petange - Differdange 031.4120-2 (0-0)
23rd AprAthletic Bilbao - Las Palmas1.3511-0 (1-0)
23rd AprRoyal Antwerp - KRC Genk1.34X21-1 (0-0)
23rd AprQarabag - Araz Nakhchivan1.3313-0 (0-0)
22nd AprAustria Klagenfurt - LASK Linz3.552 & Over3.51-4 (1-2)
22nd AprKotwice Kolobrzeg - Ruch Chorzow2.85Over3.53-4 (1-1)
22nd AprHapoel Tel Aviv - Hapoel Beer Sheva1.6421-5 (0-4)
22nd AprDerry City - Sligo Rovers1.5213-0 (2-0)
22nd AprManchester City - Aston Villa1.49Over2.52-1 (1-1)
22nd AprEthiopia Electricity - Ethiopian Medhin1.48Under2.50-2 (0-0)
22nd AprPafos - Apollon1.412-0 (2-0)
21st AprKongsvinger - Moss3.651 & Over3.56-0 (2-0)
21st AprHamKam - Viking3.12HT/FT 2/22-5 (0-4)
21st AprStromsgodset - Brann2.1421-2 (1-0)
21st AprFredrikstad - Sandefjord2.0613-1 (3-1)
21st AprNorthampton - Shrewsbury1.6314-1 (2-0)
21st AprAl-Muharraq - Al-Najma1.5912-0 (1-0)
21st AprDjurgardens - GAIS1.46DrawNoBet 10-0 (0-0)
21st AprBlackpool - Wrexham1.42DrawNoBet 21-2 (0-0)
21st AprAshton - Mickleover1.3812-0 (0-0)
21st AprTorquay - Weymouth1.3613-0 (1-0)
Sign Up Now

Hull City player considers Aston Villa U-turn in potential Ipswich Town blow

Aston Villa could be set to hijack Ipswich Town's move for Hull City's Jaden Philogene in a new twist to the winger's summer transfer saga. The 22-year-old was thought to be heading to Portman Road after a bid was accepted, but a recent report by HITC suggests that Philogene's former club, Villa, are now holding talks with the young starlet to discuss a return to Villa Park. That the Villans have managed to insert themselves into this deal is due to a clause in the original deal that saw him move from Villa to Hull. It therefore seems that Kieran McKenna's side now have an anxious wait to see which destination their target opts for. Prior to HITC's report, journalist David Ornstein had reported that the Tractor Boys had had an £18million bid for Philogene accepted by Hull, and the player was set to pick Ipswich as his new club and complete a medical. However, Ornstein also noted that Villa still held 'matching rights' over the young forward until Wednesday (10 July). When the Villans sold Philogene to the Tigers last summer, they included an option to buy the player back for £15million. This clause did allow Hull to consider offers over that sum, but Villa must be informed and allowed to match the higher bid, should it arrive. It was originally reported that this clause was only active if Hull won promotion to the Premier League, but these recent reports suggest that is not the case. Ornstein reported that Philogene is set to pick Ipswich and that Villa intend to respect his wishes, but that was before HITC's report that Villa have now opened talks. It suggests that the Midlands club feel they have a chance of convincing the youngster to return, which would come as a massive blow to Hull at this stage. Ipswich, as Premier League new boys, have enough of a job on their hands trying to land Philogene against the advances of his former club Villa, but there are other top-flight sides to contend with on top of that. Both Everton and Crystal Palace have been credited with an interest, with the former having also tabled a successful bid, but Philogene had reportedly chosen Portman Road as his favoured destination.

Beloved Premier League Fantasy Football game announces it will not run in new season

Sky Sports has announced that it will not run its own brand of Fantasy Football this season, leaving thousands of devotees to look for an alternative. The league, in which users pick a side of Premier League players from a specified budget, has been running since 2009, with the broadcaster claiming that ‘well over a million’ people have played the game since its inception. However, that is dwarfed by the Premier League’s own official Fantasy Premier League game, which only last season received nearly 11 million registrations…though how many of those are actually unique players is anybody’s guess. Sky Sports has announced that it will not run its own brand of Fantasy Football this season, leaving thousands of devotees to look for an alternative. The league, in which users pick a side of Premier League players from a specified budget, has been running since 2009, with the broadcaster claiming that ‘well over a million’ people have played the game since its inception. However, that is dwarfed by the Premier League’s own official Fantasy Premier League game, which only last season received nearly 11 million registrations…though how many of those are actually unique players is anybody’s guess. A post on the Sky Sports Fantasy Football’s X account reads: “After an amazing 15 years and engaging well over 1,000,000 players in that time, we have taken the difficult decision not to run Sky Sports Fantasy Football (Sky FF) for the upcoming 2024/25 domestic football campaign. “The passion for Sky FF has always been fantastic and it has been a pleasure watching the community grow, while working with us on the game. “We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has played and supported the game over the last 15 years.”

Man United confident of complying with financial rules despite €84.7m loss

Manchester United are confident of complying with the Premier League’s financial rules for 2023-24 despite posting a £71.4 million (€84.7 million) net loss for the third quarter. The net loss figure includes £30.3 million in exceptional costs related to the sale of 27.7 per cent of voting rights in the club to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, including consultancy fees owed to the American firm Raine. United sources see those costs as a necessary price to pay in helping to put in place the ownership and management structures they believe will bring greater discipline on recruitment in the future, while maintaining the club’s commercial resilience. Dan Ashworth finally joined United as their new sporting director to oversee player recruitment last week, while Omar Berrada begins work as the club’s new chief executive this week. While the sale to Mr Ratcliffe came at a cost to United, on the flipside he is committed to investing $300 million (€277 million) in developing club infrastructure, with $200 million already paid in, including around £50 million towards upgrading the club’s Carrington training complex. Club sources expressed confidence around complying with the league’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) for the assessment period ending with the 2023-24 season. The PSR allow for losses of up to £105 million over a three-season assessment period. They will remain in place next season, with new financial rules set to be adopted for the 2025-26 season. The club have been working hard to meet PSR requirements and were able to trim squad costs via January loans, including Jadon Sancho going to Borussia Dortmund and Donny van de Beek to Eintracht Frankfurt. Total operating expenses were up 15 per cent on the equivalent quarter last year to £203.7 million, which included a 7.3 per cent rise in employee costs to £91.2 million, reflecting investment in the first-team squad. Amortisation costs – related to the payment of transfer fees over the course of players’ contracts – was £46.3 million, up by £3.4 million on the same quarter last year. Revenue was down 20 per cent year on year, which the club attributed to playing nine fewer home matches. Debt stood at $650 million at the end of March. The accounts confirmed plans, first reported last week, for a redundancy programme which could lead to around 250 jobs being lost across the club. The club also confirmed that it is raising ticket prices by about 5 per cent for the upcoming season. The club said it now expects annual revenue for the year to the end of June of about £660 million and adjusted core profit of about £140 million, slightly below the maximum levels in a range it gave earlier.

Why Leeds United will never replace the huge impact Pablo Hernandez had on Elland Road

Leeds United fans have spent years crying out for a marquee transfer to fill the number 10 role, but it's impossible to replace Pablo Hernandez Pablo Hernandez was a footballing wizard who played with the ball on a string. Show him a single blade of grass and he’d find enough space to hurt you. Each summer since his departure, it’s the same old song. Leeds fans cry out for a creative midfielder, declaring ‘We never replaced Pablo’. While that’s still true, Leeds will never be able to replace Pablo. Hernandez spent five glorious years at Elland Road, flourishing under Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds United secured a long-awaited return to the promised land of the Premier League. There’s a tendency among Leeds fans, and undoubtedly it’s owing to years of hurt and torment, to hold on to special moments and special people for dear life. When he arrived in August 2016, the Whites had just recorded their customary mid-table finish, much to the displeasure of the 22,000 exasperated and weary souls watching at Elland Road. El Loco may have delivery capacity crowds with a swift culture shock and a swashbuckling brand of football, but El Mago helped set the wheels in motion. Less than 12 months after watching Souleymane Doukara - who admittedly did score that unforgettable goal against Nottingham Forest - play for Steve Evans, the ‘little fat man’ Joey Barton called a ‘weeble’, Leeds fans were reminded that it’s okay to have nice things. All of a sudden, Whites fans were served a much more palatable offering in the form of (f*ck) Gary Monk overseeing Hernandez feeding free-scoring Chris Wood as Leeds threatened promotion. Simon Grayson’s promotion aside, it was the first green shoots of hope to come from a dark period that suggested Leeds could claw their way back toward the top. Hernandez’s sumptuous opener in a 2-0 away win against Cardiff City was a sign of things to come. Just as he did on that day, the former Spanish international had a habit of finding space and whipping the ball into the corner. He did it time and time again. Fantastic free-kicks against Norwich and Burton, a trio of stunning strikes against Reading, screamers against Bristol City, Leicester, West Brom and others. Across four seasons in the Championship, Hernandez scored 36 goals, provided 39 assists and created 386 goalscoring chances. That’s right, 386 potential assists. In 2018, Hernandez topped the charts with 116 chances created, which was 19 more than the division's next-best creator, Sheffield United’s Oliver Norwood. There are numerous examples of players who produce similar numbers, such as Crysencio Summerville, who created 112 just last season. But more than just the metrics (shut up, Jesse), Pablo elevated those around him, made Leeds a threat again and was the sort of player who, like Raphinha, brought the crowd to their feet every time he touched the ball. The best part of being a football fan is experiencing moments and feelings that you just can’t manufacture. Sometimes it's hard to find the words to capture a feeling, but any Leeds fan knows the Pablo feeling. Moments like the electric atmosphere at Elland Road when he scored the most outrageous of goals with 17 seconds on the clock against West Brom. Or that goal against Swansea in deepest, darkest lockdown. In my case, witnessed during a socially distanced watch party that ended in someone launching lager all over a £1,000 MacBook. The joy of Pablo Hernandez, and of course, Marcelo Bielsa, crossing paths with Leeds when they did, was just thrillingly irreplaceable. You can never replace those memories and you can never replace Pablo Hernandez.

Major surprise as former Iceland boss takes over Ireland

The FAI's manager recruitment saga is finally over after eight months, with the appointment of Heimir Hallgrímsson as the new head coach of the Ireland senior men’s national team. The former head coach of Iceland and Jamaica will lead the team for the UEFA Nations League and FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns. Hallgrímsson will assume charge of his first competitive fixture this September as Ireland face England in the UEFA Nations League. The new head coach will be formally unveiled at an official press conference tomorrow, Thursday, July 11, at the Aviva Stadium. A statement from the FAI said Hallgrímsson was identified as the number one candidate earlier this year with his experience aligning perfectly with the association’s search criteria. These criteria included, among other factors, previous international head coach experience, an ability to move international teams up the FIFA world rankings, a track record of qualifying and competing at major tournaments and experience in the development and progression of young players. Heimir’s international experience started with Iceland where he was first assistant manager to Lars Lagerback from 2011 to 2013, joint head coach alongside Lagerback until 2016 and then sole head coach from 2016 to 2018. His time at the helm of the Iceland national team coincided with one of their most successful periods famously reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, eliminating England in the last 16. In this time Iceland also qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and reached a qualification play-off for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Over the course of his time with Iceland, the team reached its highest ever FIFA ranking of 18th. Most recently, Hallgrímsson was the head coach of Jamaica (2022 – 2024), where he led the team to qualification for this summer’s Conmebol Copa America 2024. Hallgrímsson resigned from his role as head coach of Jamaica following the conclusion of their Copa America 2024 campaign at the start of this month (July). Commenting on his appointment with Ireland, Heimir Hallgrímsson said it was “an honour” to be chosen for the role. “Ireland is rightly a proud footballing nation which has consistently produced talented players and enjoyed many memorable moments at major international tournaments,” he said. "We have a young and exciting team that has genuine potential. I am looking forward to working closely with the players to help coach and guide them towards improved performances and results ensuring we qualify and compete at major tournaments on a regular basis. "We have important and exciting games coming up in the UEFA Nations League later this year and a massive FIFA World Cup qualification campaign coming up next year. “Finally, I am also looking forward to getting to know the people of Ireland and in particular the wonderful fans of Irish football. It is my responsibility to coach, prepare and develop our team as best as possible to deliver results on the pitch and to make our supporters happy and proud,” he added.

Ipswich Town join Southampton in race for Brazilian – Saints have ‘agreement’ with player already

In the past few days, the Brazilian media had been sounding very confident that Welington would leave São Paulo for Southampton. The player’s contract with his club expires in December, and after agreeing a personal deal, the Saints were said to be working to anticipate his arrival for this summer. Now, according to ESPN Brasil, Ipswich Town have joined Southampton in the battle for Welington. The outlet points out that the player already has an agreement with the Saints, and even though they remain favourites for the signing, there’s now some English competition. It’s not yet clear if Ipswich Town have opened talks with Welington’s entourage or São Paulo yet, as it’s just claimed there’s ‘interest’ from them. Italian side Torino are said to be keen as well. The Brazilian club are worried about the situation and even had hopes to renew the full back’s contract, but with all this European battle, it’s become unlikely that they’ll succeed in their efforts to do so. It’s probably fair to say that whoever reaches a deal with São Paulo will have a bigger chance to sign him, instead of waiting for December, so we’ll see how Ipswich Town will move to beat Southampton on that front.

Joshua Zirkzee shares update as Manchester United close in on £46m transfer

Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee has hinted his focus is elsewhere as Manchester United edges closer to completing a deal for the forward. MEN Sport understands talks between Zirkzee, Bologna and the Reds are progressing well and United are confident they will be able to complete a deal before the month ends. The 23-year-old has a £33m release clause inserted into his contract at the Serie A club. However, the Manchester Evening News understands this figure will not be the end of the costs for United if they want to bring Zirkzee on board. The forward's agent fees could balloon the cost for Zirkzee significantly with sources in Italy suggesting the fee is more likely to be £46m for the striker. United are prepared to accept this as the overall package for Zirkzee, who scored 12 goals in all competitions last season, is seen as reasonable. Currently, the striker is with the Netherlands squad at Euro 2024. In his latest update to his Instagram story, Zirkzee hinted that he is only focused on his international team at present as he shared a post captioned: "All eyes on the semis," to his feed. United likely anticipate that they will not be able to complete a deal until after the Dutch's tournament in Germany ends. Most United fans will be hopeful that will be tonight as the Dutch take on England in Dortmund for a spot in Sunday's final. The winner of the semi-final will face Spain in Berlin after they defeated France 2-1 on Tuesday evening.

Federico Chiesa wants £130,000-a-week contract amid Liverpool, Manchester United links

Federico Chiesa reportedly wants to sign a contract with £130,000-a-week wages at his next club amid his links with Liverpool and Manchester United. According to a report by TEAMtalk, Federico Chiesa will likely leave Juventus in the summer transfer window. Liverpool and Manchester United have shown interest in the 26-year-old winger, who wants to sign a contract with £130,000-a-week wages. Meanwhile, the Serie A giants want around £25 million to part ways with him in the summer transfer window. Federico Chiesa has endured a topsy-turvy ride since joining Juventus from Fiorentina in 2020. The Bianconeri initially signed him on a two-year loan deal before completing a permanent transfer in 2022. However, fitness issues and inconsistencies have haunted him in the last two seasons. The 26-year-old has turned out 131 times thus far for Juventus while chipping in with 32 goals and 23 assists. Chiesa’s inconsistent performances have meant that he has been in and out of the starting lineup of his club and country. However, the player’s stock in the market remains high. The Italian international does not have a long-term future at Juventus, with the Bianconeri ready to part ways with him in the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, Federico Chiesa’s situation has piqued the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, with Premier League bigwigs like Liverpool and Manchester United vying for his signature. Liverpool’s interest in Federico Chiesa is understandable. The Reds have been scouring the market for a wide attacker heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term futures of Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah. Chiesa has thus emerged as a viable target for Liverpool. As for Manchester United, they might view Chiesa as a long-term solution to the long-standing right-wing issues. However, the Italian attacker’s wage demands might be a stumbling block for Manchester United and Liverpool, as he wants to pocked £130,000-a-week wages at his next club. Meanwhile, Juventus will demand around £25 million to part ways with the 26-year-old Italian international in the summer transfer window. In addition, Chiesa’s agent, Fali Ramadani, will offer him to Premier League clubs soon. It will be interesting to see where he plies his trade in the 2023/24 season.

Our services
in numbers

1
Happy Customers
1
Games/Month
1
Live Scores Alerts/Week

Testimonials
- what our subscribers are saying

via Facebook Social Plugin

Start Quote

High precision! Best predicton site

User Image
Raymond McGregor Korir
Joined on 1st Nov 2022
Start Quote

The doh i make here is enough to be living my dream life!

User Image
Irene Mukusi
Joined on 11th Jan 2022
Start Quote

Over 20 tips everyday! not bad

User Image
Kiplangat Josphat
Joined on 13th May 2023
Start Quote

Nipeeni pesa ya kustake

User Image
Zakaria Abdullah
Joined on 22nd May 2023
Start Quote

Hawa wameweza. kila siku nalala na kakitu mfukoni

User Image
Silvia Wafula
Joined on 23rd Apr 2023

Join SoccerGeek Now

We guarantee your congratulations just a few hours after joining

Sign Up Now


Contact us

Our contact details

footer image

Interact with us in your favorite social media channel

Copyright © SoccerGeek